Optical assembly for television front screen

ABSTRACT

An optical assembly device (10) for use in front of a television screen having a diagonal dimension of S, which optical assembly comprises four panels (12 to 15) connected together to form a hollow body (11) having a substantially rectangular open front side (16) of width W and the height H and a substantially rectangular open rear side (17) of width W&#39; and height H&#39;, the separation between the front and rear sides (16 and 17) being D and the inner sides of the panels being reflective. The optical assembly (10) further comprises front and rear lenses (18 and 19) provided extending across the open front and rear sides (16 and 17), respectively, of the body (11), the front side of the rear lens (19) being reflective, wherein the dimensions are related according to the following formulae: 
     (1) W=[1+(W&#39;/H&#39;-B)]·W&#39; 
     (2) H=[1+(W&#39;/H&#39;-B)]·H&#39; 
     (3) D=K·S 
     Where: 
     (i) B=(√5-1)/2 
     (ii) 0.1&lt;K&lt;0.2.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a television image processing devicefor use in front of a television screen to enhance the enjoyment oftelevision watching.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a television imageprocessing device for use in front of television screen having adiagonal dimension of S, which imaging processing device comprises fourpanels connected together to form a hollow body having a substantiallyrectangular open front side of width W and height H and a substantiallyrectangular open rear side of width W' and height H', the separationbetween the front and rear open sides being and the inner sides of thepanels being reflective which image processing device further comprisesfront and lenses provided extending across the open front and rearsides, respectively, of the body the front side of the rear lens beingreflective, wherein the dimensions are related according to thefollowing formulae:

(1) W=[1+(W'/H'-B)]·W'

(2) H=[1+(W'/H'-B)]·H'

(3) D=K·S

Where:

(i) B=√5-1)/2

(ii) 0.1<K<0.2

It is preferred that the front lens is a Fresnel lens.

Preferably, the front lens is curved.

In a preferred embodiment, the rear lens is planar.

In a specific construction, the dimensions of the rear side of the bodyare substantially equal to that of a said television screen.

The invention also provides a television set which incorporates such atelevision image processing device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way ofexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an embodiment of a televisionimage processing device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the image processing device of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view of the image processing device of FIG.2; and

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of a television set for use with theimage processing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a television image processingdevice 10 embodying the invention. The image processing device 10comprises a hollow body 11 which is formed by four panels connectedtogether, namely top panel 12, bottom panel 13 and two side panels 14and 15, each having the shape of a symmetrical trapezium. The body 11has a rectangular open front side 16 and a relatively smallerrectangular open rear side 17.

Extending across the open front end 16 of the body 11, there is provideda front lens 18 which is curved, being convex on the front side andconcave on the rear side. The front lens 18 is preferably a Fresnellens. A Fresnel lens is a generally known form of lens which has asurface comprising a plurality of smaller lenses or is constructed withstepped setbacks, usually but not necessarily circular. The open rearside 17 of the body 11 is occupied by a rear lens 19, extendingthere-across. The rear lens 19 is planar and has a reflective frontside, but may be a curved lens.

The image processing device 10 is to be used in front of the screen 31of a television set 30. The television screen is generally rectangularand has a diagonal (corner-to-corner) dimension of S (See FIG. 4). Thefront side 16 of the body 11 of the image processing device 10 has awidth of W and a height of H, whereas the rear side 17 has a width of W'and a height H'. The separation between the front and rear sides 16 and17 of the body 11 has a measurement of D, that being the depth of thebody 11.

The various dimensions or measurements are related according to thefollowing formulae:

(1) W=[1+(W'/h'-B)]·W'

(2) H=[1+(W'/H'-B)]·H'

(3)D=K·S

In the formulae, B denotes the golden coefficient having a value of(√5-1)/2 or about 0.618, and K denotes a constant having a value in therange between 0.1 and 0.2.

In this particular embodiment, the width W' and height H' of the rearside 17 of the body 11 of the image processing device 10 are chosen tobe the same as the corresponding measurement of the television screen.As a result, the remaining dimensions of the body 11, namely the valuesof W, H and D, can be determined according to the above three formulae.It is, however, to be understood that the size of the body rear side 17is not necessarily the same as that of the television screen, althoughthe corresponding measurements are preferably in direct proportion.

Taking as an example, the television screen has a width of 512 mm (beingthe value of W') and a height of 385 mm (being the value of H'), andhence a diagonal measurement S of about 641 mm. The value of theconstant K is chosen to be 0.152. According to the formulae, the width Wand height H of the front side 16 of the body 11 of the image processingdevice 10 are calculated to be about 876 mm and 659 mm, respectively,and the depth D of the body 11 is about 97 mm.

Depending on the size of the television screen and the televisionwatching distance, it is preferred that the focal length of the frontlens 18 falls within the range of 200 mm to 400 mm and is morepreferably 250 mm. Likewise, the depth D of the image processing devicebody 11 is preferably in the range of 50 mm to 150 mm.

In use, the image processing device 10 is positioned in front of thetelevision screen, with the rear side 17 of the body 11 placed againstor close to and aligned with the television screen. The use of the imageprocessing device 10 will impart a certain degree of 3-dimensionalquality to the television image passing through the device 10, ashereinbelow explained.

The television image travels through the image processing device 10 inthe following three different paths:

1. The first path being from the television screen directly through therear lens 19 and the front lens 18 to the viewer;

2. The second path being from the television screen through the rearlens 19 to the panels 12 to 15 and then reflected by the panels 12 to 15to and through the front lens 18 to the viewer; and

3. The third path being from the television screen through the rear lens19 to the panels 12 to 15, then reflected by the panels 12 to 15 backonto the front side of the rear lens 19 and finally reflected by therear lens front side to and through the front lens 18 to the viewer.

By reason of the difference in travelling paths, the television image issubject to different actions of reflection, refraction and/ordiffraction inside and through the body 11 of the described imageprocessing device 10. The final television image is thereby made up ofthree components having different relative phase shifts and differentangles of propagation. These television image components interact by wayof optical interference and fall into slightly different vision areas,thereby producing a realistic 3-dimensional effect.

It is to be appreciated that the television image processing device ofthe invention will also absorb or filter away some of the undesirable orharmful radiations, such as X-rays, from the television image. In thedescribed embodiment, the image processing device 10 will also providean enlarged television image.

It is envisaged that the television image processing device of theinvention may be provided as a separate (add-on) device or as anintegral part of a television set.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and variousmodifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may bemade by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope ofthe invention as specified in the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A television image processing device for use in front of atelevision screen having a diagonal dimension of S, which imagingprocessing device comprises four panels connected together to form ahollow body having a substantially rectangular open front side of widthW and height H and a substantially rectangular open rear side of widthW' and height H', the separation between the front and rear open sidesbeing D and the inner sides of the panels being reflective, which imageprocessing device further comprises front and rear lenses providedextending across the open front and rear sides, respectively, of thebody, the front side of the rear lens being reflective, wherein thedimensions are related according to the following formulae:(1)W=[1+(W'/H'-B)]·W' (2) H=[1+(W'/H'-B)]·H' (3) D=K·S Where:(i) B=(√5-1)/2(ii) 0.1<K<0.2.
 2. A television image processing device as claimed inclaim 1 wherein the front lens is a Fresnel lens.
 3. A television imageprocessing device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the front lens iscurved.
 4. A television image processing device as claimed in claim 1wherein the rear lens is planar.
 5. A television image processing deviceas claimed in claim 1 wherein the dimensions of the rear side of thebody are substantially equal to that of said television screen.
 6. Atelevision image processing device as claimed in claim 1 including atelevision coupled to the rear side.
 7. A television image processingdevice for use in front of a television screen having a diagonaldimension S, the image processing device comprisingfour panels connectedtogether to form a hollow body having a substantially rectangular openfront side of width W and height H and a substantially rectangular openrear side of width W' and height H', the separation between the frontand rear open sides being D and the inner sides of the panels beingreflective; and a front lens extending across the open front side of thebody, wherein the dimensions are related according to the followingformulae: (1) W=[1+(W'/H'-B)]·W' (2) H=[1+(W'/H'-B)]·H' (3) D=K·SWhere:(i) B=(√5-1)/2 (ii) 0.1<K<0.2.
 8. A television image processingdevice as claimed in claim 7 including a rear lens disposed across theopen rear side of the body, the front side of said rear lens beingreflective.
 9. A television image processing device as claimed in claim8 including a television coupled to the rear side.
 10. A televisionimage processing device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the rear lens isplanar.
 11. A television image processing device as claimed in claim 8wherein the front lens is a Fresnel lens.
 12. A television imageprocessing device as claimed in claim 8 wherein the front lens iscurved.
 13. A television image processing device as claimed in claim 8wherein the dimensions of the rear side of the body are substantiallyequal to that of said television screen.
 14. An image processing devicefor use in providing a three dimensional quality to an image generatedby a television screen, the image processing device comprising asubstantially rectangular box open at first and second ends, the firstend being disposed adjacent to the television screen for receiving theimage and the second end projecting the image outward, the substantiallyrectangular box having a diagonal dimension S, the first endsubstantially having a width W and height H and the second endsubstantially having a width W' and height H' a distance between thefirst and second ends being substantially D, wherein inner sidewalls ofthe substantially rectangular box are reflective, wherein S, H, W, W',H', and D are related according to the following:(1) W is substantially[1+(W'/H'-B)]·W' (2) H is substantially [1+(W'/H'-B)]·H' (3) D issubstantially K·S Where:(i) B is substantially (√5-1)/2 (ii) 0.1<K<0.2.15. A television image processing device as claimed in claim 14including a curved front lens.
 16. A television image processing deviceas claimed in claim 14 including a front lens disposed across the secondend.
 17. A television image processing device as claimed in claim 16including a rear lens disposed across the first end, a first side ofsaid rear lens being reflective.
 18. A television image processingdevice as claimed in claim 14 including a planar rear lens.
 19. Atelevision image processing device as claimed in claim 15 including aFresnel lens disposed in front of the substantially rectangular box.